The Truth Will Set You Free (Part III)
by Victor
Summary: originally posted at buffyguide.com for S/W shippers


The Truth Will Set You Free  
  
couple of things to start:  
The title change is due to the fact that I can't keep this just between Willow  
and Spike. The more I write the more the rest of the gang shows up.  
The timeline this follows is a bit screwy, I know. I'm using bits and pieces  
from current episodes with no time for the events that actually happened. I'll  
just play my "Creative License" card and apologize for messing with your  
heads.  
If you want to check out the other two, I posted the first one on 1/21 and the  
second one on 1/23.  
This one was written on the fly, right here, right now. The other two were  
written at night and copied/edited the next day. So if this one is different in  
any way...that's why. Anyway, enjoy.  
  
  
Giles is watching Jeopardy! when he hears a knock at the door. He calls over  
his shoulder, "Just a minute." and to the television asks, "Who is Tim Curry?"  
One of the contestants echoes the question as Giles goes to the window,  
glances out, and sees Willow. He lets her in.  
W: "Hi, Giles. I left Spike at Xander's house. He wasn't home but his mom let  
us into the basement, then I came right over. Is Buffy here yet?"  
G: "Hello, Willow. No, not yet. She should be by any-"  
W: "I've got to tell you something."  
G: "Have a seat. Are you alright? Did Spike...no, that wouldn't work, would it?  
Umm...what happened?"  
W: "Okay. Before I tell you what I've got to tell you, there's a couple of other  
things I've got to tell you first."  
G: "Very w-"  
W: "And I've got to tell you before Buffy shows up, so just listen, okay?"  
Giles nods.  
W: "I know you're still upset about Buffy keeping secrets from you and  
everything but I'm telling you this and nobody else so now you have a secret to  
keep from her. Anyway, don't judge me or anything like that when I tell you  
this. I just want you to know and give me a good Giles-as-mentor kinda  
response as opposed to the Giles-as-father-figure response I know you want  
me to hear."  
G: "Well, al-"  
W: "And as for why you can't tell Buffy...you'll know after I tell you."  
He waits for her to begin. There is complete silence for a moment.  
W: "Are you ready?"  
G: "Certainly. Yes. Please go on."  
W: "Well why didn't you say so? I'm going out on a date. Tomorrow night."  
G: "That's wonderful. Why would Buffy not want to hear that?"  
W: "With Spike."  
G: "Ah. What? Spike? You can't be serious."  
W: "Giles-as-mentor. Remember that. And would I make this up? No."  
G: "The mind reels with questions...how about, um, you tell me how this came  
about and I'll, ah, keep a steady hold on my 'Mentor' frame of mind, yes?"  
W: "Well, while we were at my house today, we were talking about stuff.  
Personal stuff. I just couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was talking  
about Drusilla and things he wanted to do and no matter how many times I told  
myself that he's Spike, I just kept coming back to the fact that right now he's  
harmless Spike. The things he said really made sense, you know? And I was  
even thinking about it on the way over here. I thought that maybe since we  
were alone I wasn't thinking straight but that's not the case because I'm  
thinking the same things I was thinking earlier right now."  
G: "Willow, feeling sorry for someone is no reason to go out on a date with  
them."  
W: "That's father-figure-Giles talking."  
G: "Yes it is. It's also mentor-Giles, ex-librarian-Giles, ex-watcher-Giles,  
used-to-be-a-teenager-Giles, and a whole host of other Gileses. I understand  
that Spike is very different now, but you must remember that in his mind he is  
still a ruthless killer. This isn't a case of him getting his soul restored like  
Angel. He still thinks the same way he used to and he feels no remorse for the  
things he's done or the things he still wants to do. And along with that remains  
the fact that pity is still no reason to go on a date with someone."  
W: "It's not pity that's making me act this way. Pity might have been a factor  
at one point, but not now. I've got a little more insight to him than you do. I see  
a different Spike."  
G: "Than why tell only me this. Why not tell the others as well? Surely if you  
plan to go through with this date nothing we say will deter you."  
W: "No. But I'd feel bad the whole time I was supposed to be enjoying myself.  
I'm telling you because first of all, I had to tell somebody, and second of all,  
you've spent more time with him than anybody else."  
G: "What about Xander?"  
W: "Xander hates Spike. Sure he may be able to tolerate him, maybe even joke  
around with him a little, but he still hates him."  
G: "I'm not overly fond of him, myself."  
W: "I know that. But you've got a better way of thinking about it...more  
analytical. You can at least see a few sides to something. Xander only sees one  
most of the time, especially this time. And Buffy's the same way."  
G: "Willow...ahhh...I'm not going to tell you not to do this. I'm not even going to  
tell you that you shouldn't do it because I know it would be pointless. But I  
will caution you to remember a few things. Spike may not be like this forever.  
And while what you're doing may grant you a small grace period with him,  
don't think that it will save you. He has made no effort to deny what he would  
would do to all of us given the opportunity. He may have actual feelings for  
you, but think about this -- when a person goes blind, their other senses get  
stronger to compensate. Spike is figuratively blind. He's unable to do  
something that, to him, is second nature and he's compensating by using his  
ability to feel emotion. He is, in effect, becoming human. But once he can 'see'  
again, that humanity will be nothing but a burden and he'll get rid of it."  
W: "I know that. I do. And I'm not thinking of this in a long-term way, but I  
think I can handle a little flirting with disaster. As long as he's playing nice, I  
may as well put his name in the 'friends' column, right? Do you think I'm  
crazy?"  
G: "No, I don't. I think you've got -"  
There is a knock at the door.  
W: "Ooh! It's Buffy! Remember...mum's the word, okay?"  
Giles nods. "Who is it?"  
S: "It's the big bad wolf. Open up or I'll blow your bloody house down."  
G: "Come in, Spike."  
S: "Oh. Hi, Red. Thought you'd gone back to your den of academia."  
W: "I was waiting for Buffy so we could walk together."  
G: "Why aren't you at Xander's?"  
S: "He borrowed his cousin's video camera."  
Giles and Willow exchange questioning glances and then, in unison, "So?"  
S: "And Anya was with him."  
Again, Giles and Willow in unison, "Oh."  



End file.
